Stars and Boulevards
by Sexy Bookworm
Summary: All the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you.Augustana, Their back. Sequel to 'My Favorite Accident.
1. The Begining

_Wait, dear  
White horses walking down my street here  
Your words are creeping at my feet  
I fear  
The sunrise will come too soon  
And you'll disappear  
To the haze of the city and yourself  
Oh yeah_

Look out  
They're coming after us with big guns  
They're only gonna tell you all the bad things I've done  
Even if the words they say aren't true,  
They've won  
Now I'm left here dying in the sun  


She kept her head down, praying that she could sneak in, pay her respects, and avoided the boy who she had seen less then a week ago.

She wore a simple black dress, with a white sweater over it. The funeral home was cold and lifeless, but what do you expect? It's where you go to pay respect to one who has passed on.

Bess Marvin crept quietly across the floor of the funeral home, she saw her mother off to the right, her Aunt and Uncle to her left, and various other people she knew. The walked up to the coffin, closed of course, and smiled.

"Well, Georgie, I guess this is goodbye."  
She knew it was stupid to be talking go a closed casket, she knew there was other times where she could do this, but it didn't matter.

She wanted to do this now, and goddamn she was going to do it.

Bess sat down on the steps in front of the casket, nobody noticed, they were all off in their own little worlds.

"Funny how it went down, remember when we would always joke that Nance was gonna get us killed someday with one of her mysteries? And to think, you died in a car crash, in some deserted neighborhood, well past midnight."

Bess wiped a tear away from her eye, and kept on pouring her heart out.

"I want you to know… that I have no hard feelings. I understand why you did what you did. You were drunk, confused, and Joe was as willing as you were."

Bess pulled her legs to her chest, not caring that her dress was riding up.

"I want you to know that I…forgive you. If I could, I would change nothing, though. What could I change? What could I do? Keep Joe from going out with his co-workers that night? Nothing. I can't say everything is happy ever after…but…your forgiven."

Bess sighed and got to her feet. She was so close to the door, when she was stopped.

_  
Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
All the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you_

Late nights  
Won't do me justice  
'cause when I drink I  
Just get so damn depressed and it's  
it's not like I ain't trying to get over you  
it's just hard to look at all the seasons pass me over too  
and I said

"Hey."

The Hey was soft, kind, but on this date and time, it cut through Bess Marvin with pain and suffering.

"Hey yourself."

Bess said softly as she turned around. There stood Joe Hardy, a man, who less then a week ago she had dismissed from in apartment in a fit of tears.

She couldn't look him in the eye if she tried.

Joe was dressed nicely, in common funeral ware. So was she.

_Oh god…I can't yell at him at a funeral…at least if I cry it will be considered normal…_

She thought to herself and she stared at her feet as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"So….this is awkward."

She couldn't help but smile. Even though she was at a funeral, even through she stood before the man who had once destroyed her life, even though he was the father of her fatherless child, Joe Hardy still made her smile.

"Yes. That it is."

Joe then dug his hands into his pockets and sighed.

"I guess…I just want to say…I guess…"

Bess Marvin had never seen Joe Hardy at a loss for words. He was silently snapping his fingers, his blue eyes were looking wildly around the room, she was sure she could hear his heart beating.

Not that she was listening, or anything.

_  
Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always on my  
All the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you_

One last  
Phone call from you  
It wouldn't hurt much  
Just like to hear your voice  
And pretend to touch  
Any inch of you that hasn't said it all or read it all  
I sung my life away  
And I said 

She kept her head down, praying that she could sneak in, pay her respects, and avoided the boy who she had seen less then a week ago.

She wore a simple black dress, with a white sweater over it. The funeral home was cold and lifeless, but what do you expect? It's where you go to pay respect to one who has passed on.

"Look, let's just let things go back to the way they were. No harm done, nothing gained nothing lost."

Bess nodded, not yet sure if she was happy with his pained words. Words that were lies.

Because something was lost.

"Yes, I think that would be best.

Joe then took her chin in his hand, a gesture so simply that it shouldn't have shot sparks through them both, as if to remind them of what they had once had.

"Goodbye Bess Marvin."__

Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always

Woahhhhh… (all the stars & boulevards aren't close enough to you)  
Seem like I'm all eyes on that home (all the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you)  
Seem like I'm never coming home  
Seem like I'm all eyes on that

He then dropped her chin, and Bess was thankful that he turned and left, so he couldn't see the tears in her eyes.

"Goodbye Joe Hardy."

Bess whispered to air as she let the tears flow.

But, while one relationship was being destroyed, another was being made, while one was being straightened.

What, you didn't think the whole story would be about Bess and Joe, did you?

Song: Stars and Boulevards, Augustana


	2. Fear

_Wait, dear  
White horses walking down my street here  
Your words are creeping at my feet  
I fear  
The sunrise will come too soon  
And you'll disappear  
To the haze of the city and yourself  
Oh yeah_

Look out  
They're coming after us with big guns  
They're only gonna tell you all the bad things I've done  
Even if the words they say aren't true,  
They've won  
Now I'm left here dying in the sun

The two were sitting on the back steps of the church, sharing a pretzel. To the human eye it looked like two friends chatting, but in reality, it was a strong couple discussing something that went beyond the shallow waters.

"Were gonna have to tell her eventually, Nan. Your going to show soon."

Nancy Drew ripped off a small piece of the pretzel that her boyfriend, Frank Hardy, was holding and chewed it thoughtfully.

"Well, actually, if we eloped in Vegas and I said-"

Frank then took Nancy's chin in her hands and forced her to look at him.

"No. You are pregnant with a child, my child. I want him to have my name. For you to have my name. I want to raise him-"

"Or her."

Nancy cut off with a smile, which Frank returned.

"Or her. We've kept all this secret for a year. For no real reason. We can't keep a child a secret."

Nancy pulled away and stole Frank's pretzel.

"But there is a real reason. My best friend, who is like my sister, and you're brother, who is your brother, have went through the depths of hell with each other. They have a child, and just last week we made the mistake of rekindling the fire only to let it burn out."

Frank sighed.

"Yeah, that was an mistake. But, Nan, this is _your _child. Do you want that child to grow up with a secret life?"

_Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
All the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you_

Late nights  
Won't do me justice  
'cause when I drink I  
Just get so damn depressed and it's  
it's not like I ain't trying to get over you  
it's just hard to look at all the seasons pass me over too  
and I said

Nancy sighed and the two fell silent.

"Almost 10 weeks and we never knew."

Nancy groaned.  
"How was I suppose to know! It was the last thing on my mind…"

Frank reached for the half eaten pretzel, and Nancy swatted his hand away.

"You missed three periods."

"I WAS TRYING to be optimistic!"

"You gained weight."

"Hasn't anybody ever told you that that is a STUPID thing to say to a woman?"

Frank rolled his eyes. He loved Nancy, he really did, but last night he had to deal with her going on and on about how much weight she was going to gain. And about all the other crap she would put up with for the next six months or so.

It wasn't fun.

He almost liked it better when she was keeping it a secret.

Nancy then shifted awkwardly. Due to her pregnancy, she had to wear baggy dress pants and a lose dress shirt to the funeral.

It looked very odd, to say the least.

"Are you unhappy about our child?"

Asked Frank, suddenly so serious that it sent chills up Nancy's back.

"NO."

She answered, so surely that all thoughts of being unhappy were scared away from his mind.

_Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always on my  
All the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you_

One last  
Phone call from you  
It wouldn't hurt much  
Just like to hear your voice  
And pretend to touch  
Any inch of you that hasn't said it all or read it all  
I sung my life away  
And I said

"I love you, Frank. I feel so much pride to be the one to carry your child. Now, the fact that I'm going to be fatter then my uncle Ed is not very appealing…"

Frank couldn't help but laugh. Only half heartedly, though, because whenever she made jokes you could tell she was worried.

"I'm nearly 13 weeks along now, and I don't think I can wear street clothes much longer. Since I'm normally so skinny, and morning sickness hasn't been that bad, it's going to be pretty obvious pretty fast. Bess will find out. My dad, Hannah, all the male detectives at work…"

Frank then took Nancy's hand and forced her to look him in the eye.

"And they all love you. We'll go to them, tell them everything, and they'll except it, because they love you. You said it yourself; Bess is like your sister. She'll understand. She went through it, hell, she'll be excited."

Nancy sighed and continued.

"I know I should have told you sooner, but I was…scared. I knew deep inside that you would be excited, but I'm a human being."

Frank laughed.

"True. And you were good at hiding."

Frank then stopped talking.

"I was so stupid. I noticed you didn't drink alcohol. That you stopped wanted sex. That you wore baggy clothes. The sleepless night's. Long term flu…"

Frank then smiled.

"But damn, have you considered becoming an actress? You blamed every doctors appointment on a case, you wore baggy clothes, you blamed the alcohol on the 'flu', which was morning sickness…"

Nancy finished off the pretzel and sighed.

"You aren't mad at me are you?"

Frank laughed so hard at this question you would think he was watching Caddy Shack.

"Nan, you're caring my child, and, you're an amazing woman. I would be a fool to be mad at you, a smidge annoyed? Yeah. Mad? No."  
Nancy snickered as her blue eyes twinkled.

_Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always_

Woahhhhh… (all the stars & boulevards aren't close enough to you)  
Seem like I'm all eyes on that home (all the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you)  
Seem like I'm never coming home  
Seem like I'm all eyes on that

"Smidge?"

Frank smiled kindly.

"Shut it."

Nancy then rested her elbows on her knees and her head on her hands.

"So what are we going to name her-"

"Or him."  
Frank cut off with a smile.

Nancy groaned.

"We can't call her OR him an it!"

Frank thought for a moment.

"We could call it shim…"

Nancy wrinkled her nose.

"That makes it sound like a cross dresser. You can use him, I can use her."

He smiled.

"Fine by me. Hum, names for a girl…Mary?"

Nancy looked at Frank as if he was insane.

"Haven't you ever played 'bloody Mary?' Heck no!"

Frank rolled his eyes.

"Ok then, Jessica?"  
Nancy shook her head.

"Too normal. Too boring. Besides, Jessica has been used in god knows how many TV shows. My personal favorite is Supernatural…the dead girlfriend?"

Frank then rolled his eyes yet again.

"God, ok then, Brittany?"

Nancy gave Frank the are-you-that-stupid-look.

"Ok. I get it. No naming our maybe girl child after a mental washed up crappy pop star with major alcohol and drug problems. Can't say I blame you. Let's not think of names till the end, K?"

Nancy smiled.

"K. We should get out of here."

But just as Nancy was about to her up, Frank pulled her back down.

"Nancy, I know this isn't romantic, or un usual, but…"

Frank then pulled a ring box from his pocket.

You can see where this is going.

"Nancy Drew. I pictured this moment on a beach, or in the rain, or at a fancy ballroom, but at our old friends funeral will have to due."  
"I have known you forever. Or a long time. And with this relationship I have proved that some school day crushes end up being happily ever afters. I love you. You chose me, and that is something I…Oh, screw this. Nancy Elizabeth Drew, will you marry me?"

Frank then opened the box to reveal an cliché and beautiful engagement ring, simple with a diamond in the middle, but beautiful nonetheless.

"Yes."

She whispered quietly, and all thoughts of doubt were chased permanently from their heads.


	3. Cute

_Wait, dear  
White horses walking down my street here  
Your words are creeping at my feet  
I fear  
The sunrise will come too soon  
And you'll disappear  
To the haze of the city and yourself  
Oh yeah_

Look out  
They're coming after us with big guns  
They're only gonna tell you all the bad things I've done  
Even if the words they say aren't true,  
They've won  
Now I'm left here dying in the sun

Callie Shaw had always been an independent woman, she never did well with long term relationships.

Frank Hardy was an exception.

But, alas, the two had broken up a good while ago, and were close friends.

So close, that she knew about Nancy. That she knew Nancy was pregnant. And that she was happy for both of them.

She could feel jealous, but she had too much on her mind to feel a meaningless emotion like jealousy.

She silently danced around the room, mingling with a few people here and there that had been mutual friends.

She didn't know George that well, it seemed like whoever planned the damn funeral had everybody in her address book come.

Funerals had never been Callie's thing. When she was seven she tripped up some steps at her great uncle's funeral and accidentally opened the casket.

It was closed casket.

Machinery incident.

When she was nine, her cousin Abigail told her a joke and she started laughing, and everybody started at her.

And, black was _so _not her color.

_Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
All the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you_

Late nights  
Won't do me justice  
'cause when I drink I  
Just get so damn depressed and it's  
it's not like I ain't trying to get over you  
it's just hard to look at all the seasons pass me over too  
and I said  


The spunky journalist walked towards the door, eager to get out of the funeral, after offering pointless 'I'm sorry for your loses.' To Mr and Mrs Frayne she hurried towards the door. She had a doctors appointment in an hour or so and she needed to get out of here. Callie hurried to her burnt orange neon, a tribute to the blue one she had in high school and college, and pulled out of her parking space.

And into another car.

_Shit._ Callie thought as she slammed on her breaks, pulled forward, and hauled out of the car. WHY me.

She then walked around to the back of her car, to reveal that her back bumper was on the ground, and the other car was fine. Thank the lord.

"Um, miss? Oh, Callie Shaw…long time no see."

Callie looked up to see Nancy Drew's former boyfriend Ned Nickerson.

"Oh, hey Nickerson. You got any duct tape?"

Ned's raised his eyebrows at the slightly 'crazy' petite blonde standing in front of him.

"Um, Sorry, Callie, but most people don't carry duct tape in their cars."

Callie put her hands on her hips and sighed.

"I used to. Then my little brother stole it for his bicycle. Anyways, I guess I'll just throw this bumper in the back and go. I've got an appointment in…"

Callie looked down at her cheap polka spotted watch.

"49 minutes and 55 seconds. Anyways, I'll be seeing you."

"Wait, do you need a ride?"

Callie turned around and opened her car door.

"Thanks, I'm good though. Nice seeing you Ned."

Ned offered her a smile, something not many people offered her. Being a nosy journalist wasn't exactly something everybody loved. Now, smiles of sympathy was something she was used to.

"You to Callie. Take care."

_  
Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always on my  
All the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you_

One last  
Phone call from you  
It wouldn't hurt much  
Just like to hear your voice  
And pretend to touch  
Any inch of you that hasn't said it all or read it all  
I sung my life away  
And I said 

Callie then quickly got in the car and turned the key, only to find that it didn't start. She groaned and laid her head on the steering wheel, only to have the shit scared out of her by the horn. Callie then heard a tap on her window, Ned mouthed, 'my offer's still standing.' Callie sighed, well, what did she have to lose? Ned backed away and Callie opened the car door.

"Ok then. I'll give you a ride. I was planning on grabbing some lunch, though. Care to join me."

Callie sighed. Was having lunch with an old friend's former boyfriend considered taking chances?

"Sure. What the heck? My doctor's appointment can go to hell. As long as you promise to call a tow truck when we get there. I kind of dropped my cell in the toilet yesterday."

Ned gave Callie an odd look as the pair walked to his car.

"Do I want to know?"

Callie smiled and put her hands in her pockets.

"No, I don't think so. Just promise me you'll call a tow truck eventually?"

_Woahhhhh…  
Seems like I'm always on my own  
Seems like I'm never coming home  
Seems like I'm always_

Woahhhhh… (all the stars & boulevards aren't close enough to you)  
Seem like I'm all eyes on that home (all the stars and boulevards aren't close enough to you)  
Seem like I'm never coming home  
Seem like I'm all eyes on that_…_

Ned smiled.

Sure, he'd call a tow truck eventually. Just like he would return her spark plug eventually.


End file.
